- March 12, 2025
The City Commission and the Planning Board discussed possible code changes concerning business signs, outdoor merchandise and home-based businesses.
BY MATT MENCARINI | STAFF WRITER
Rules concerning signage, home-based businesses and outdoor displays for downtown businesses may change, if future recommendations from the Ormond Beach Planning Board are approved by the Ormond Beach City Commission.
The planning board met with the commission Monday, Oct. 1, for direction as they work to recommend changes to city code regarding downtown businesses and water-survival instructional classes taught at residences.
Currently, businesses in downtown Ormond Beach are permitted to have either monument or building signage, but the board is open to exceptions. It suggested the planning board include a special exemption clause in its current regulation.
If approved, companies would go before the commission for possible sign changes, instead of submitting an application through the planning board.
Under the current code, pole signs, which characteristically are signs posted on one or two polls, aren’t allowed in the downtown area.
In the sunshine
When it came to displaying outdoor merchandise, though, the commission wasn't as lenient, recommending maintaining all current code in that area.
Some current restrictions are listed as follows:
Permanent display of merchandise outside of businesses is permitted up to four times per year, for no longer than 14 consecutive days, for a total of 56 days per year.
Merchandise cannot be located within a landscape buffer or in parking spaces, unless the business has an excess of parking.
And merchandise cannot be accompanied by additional signage.
Water world
The last item on the meeting's agenda covered water-survival instruction classes taught at residents' homes. If recommendations pass, the code would add restrictions to these courses, regarding frequency, size of the home, certification and more.
The commission does not know of any water-survival courses currently being taught in the city.
